Other pain syndromes to be differentiated from fibromyalgia (FM)

Several common chronic pain syndromes come to the attention of the
rheumatologist demanding for differentiation from fibromyalgia
(FM), although they are often associated with it. They may
mimick FM by (1) the occurance of wide spread pain, (2) the
chronicity of complaints, (3) the preponderance of females in
some of these, and (4) the lack of objective data to be
derived from imaging techniques and laboratory tests. Pain is
produced by the disturbance of normal function ("dysfunctional
syndromes", MASI, ref. 6). Recognition requires examination of
the locomotor system under biomechanical auspices both at rest
and during movement in order to diagnose hyper- and
hypomobility syndromes; treatment of these conditions is
guided by principles to improve biomechanical function. In
addition, the skin needs to be examined to detect panniculosis
(also called "cellulitis"), which may be mixed up with FM due
to its preferential occurance in peri- or postmenopausal
women. It is concluded that the aforementioned differential
diagnosis needs to be considered appropriately in coinciding
FM and all studies dealing with FM.